Take me out to the ballgame! It’s that time of year again, and you’ve already purchased tickets to the opening game and others for your hometown team. You’ve been attending regular meetings since you left rehab, and are confident you won’t have a craving for beer at the game. Your spouse, however, is worried. To her, some of the worst times when you were drinking alcoholically, were when you came home from a ballgame.
It may be beneficial to invite your spouse and also friends, perhaps from the program, to join you at some of the games. That way, you can alleviate your spouse’s fears, and at the same time work on your marriage by having fun together with friends.
Fans around you could drink beer, and the smell of it waft over you. It doesn’t matter if you have 10 months or ten years of sobriety, it’s always smart to envision and prepare for how you are going to handle incidental cravings. Keeping things secret won’t serve you well. Keeping things secret gives it power, power that you don’t want lauded over you. Telling your spouse or your buddy what’s going on with you gets it out in the open. Talking about your craving will most likely help dissipate your urge to have a beer at the game.
If being open doesn’t help with your desire for a beer, then try distracting yourself with something else to drink. Since it’s not a good idea for you to go to the concession stand where beer is sold, ask your spouse or your friend if one of them wouldn’t mind getting you a bottle of water or a soft drink, or iced coffee. You can even offer to treat everyone for sodas and popcorn. A bat makes a cracking sound. It’s a linedrive right past the shortstop. A runner sprints from first to second base. Everyone is cheering. Suddenly, you’re back in the game!
During your lifetime of sobriety, you’ll coast along for months and even years without thinking about having a beer or an alcoholic drink. Then, out of the blue, you might be hit with a craving. Be prepared for those incidences by keeping your sobriety toolkit with you at all times. You don’t ever have to strike out ever again.
If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, get help now. Nexus Recovery Services specializes in addiction treatment and encompasses holistic therapy for the mind, body, and soul with a focus on staying active and connected to nature. Our mission is to provide tools and support for every client’s seamless transition into a meaningful and fulfilling life of sobriety. We offer a free and confidential consultation. Call us to get started: (310) 881-9151